Working At Home

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Okay - to catch you all up and get some input if any of you do this as well.

I left the coporate world and decided to work at home as an IC. I had been doing this part time for about the last year and a half and although it is a really odd job - it's paying the bills!

I also don't have to be on call 24 hours a day, commute into Boston, or deal with bosses. Nice perks, eh? After 20 years of Office Management and Accounting I just couldn't keep being someone's b**ch. That's how I felt about it too.

CEO's and the like believe that a person will give up their life for a paycheck - and I did for a while. I had such a bad run of luck with my employers for the last 4 years though that it was just the straw that broke the camel's back. Funny thing is I thought it would just tide me over until I got a better job back when I started it. Then I saw it as an opportunity to have something at home I could do full or part time with any other Accounting I could pick up. I haven't been able to pick up any Accounting but, like I said, the bills are being paid and that's good at least.

My biggest concern is that I don't have enough time for socializing or even to spend with fishin. I have changed my schedule around so that he doesn't have to sit here while I work and we can have days just to ourselves but, it still doesn't seem like enough time for us (at least to me).

For example - I went to go to the store the other day and could not find my car keys anywhere. I had a spare so, I used that but, I couldn't find any of my spare house keys. I left the house open since it's not a bad neighborhood and I was just going down the street. I get back, call fishin and he finds my keys in his pocket. He went to the store for me 5 days ago. I have a sprained ankle. So - in 5 days I haven't gone anywhere. Sigh.

I also hear about littlek having gatherings and all of that kind of thing as well as family gatherings and I want to go but, I make the most on the weekends so - it sucks for me to give up that time. I'm paying the bills but, I'm not making a fortune or anything.

I will not go back to the corporate world. Nope, not doing it.

I knew going into it that I would have to put in my time and all that - proove myself to get the better paying things going and all but, dang I don't want to loose the things that are important either. I did this to make my life better and be able to do more things not less.

I'm just getting tired I think. Not really stir crazy though which I have found interesting - I thought for sure I'd eventually be feeling that. Too busy I suppose.

Okay - so my questions are:

Does anyone work at home and did you find it hard at first?

Does it get better?

Any ideas for balancing work and life?

Any other info or ideas please share. Thanks.

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aw. I hope it gets better......

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thanks k....sure it will. Just cranky about it right now I suppose.

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quinn,

I have no experience with it...but my friend does. It was hard at first. He was always working. It is better now. He has a better footing and understanding of what needs to be done when. I think at first there is a fear of failure and once things get more secure it eases up. At least that is how it was for him. It will get better - I am sure of it!

mis

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mismi - thanks.

I think anything you take on like this does have that period of time and maybe that's what I'm feeling right now. Hope so at least.

I'm getting some great offers and can keep changing my schedule around and working on what makes the most, what can I do to find that balance but, doing it now for like 3 months and sometimes it drives me crazy. Probably not the only one it bothers either!

Sales - jeesh! hehehehe.

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Hey quinn!

I only work 10 hours a week from home so it's a little different. But I've also purposely limited my hours because I know it's tough to work a lot of hours from home.

One of the main things I do is make a concerted effort to mix things up. I've had to schedule things because it's so easy to just keep going when you work from home -- you can work whenever you want, but that's a two-edged sword. (You can stop and go get lunch the minute you get hungry -- but then after dinner if you think "ooh, that's a great idea," there's nothing stopping you from going back to it and working another hour or two...)

So I do some volunteer stuff that gets me out of the house and into a more social arena, and also is a different sort of thing than my paid job.

I exercise! Still working on getting a nice steady schedule there, but I recently started working out with a friend and that has definitely helped thus far (harder to blow it off with the "eh I can do it later" excuse...)

I socialize -- make sure to have lunch with a friend, or go to social events, or whatever, even if I'm not really in the mood.

I understand that 10 hours is way different from 40, and that 40 carries its own challenges. But that's some of the stuff I'm doing -- definitely easy to just kinda get lost.

One thing that I've found interesting and I've sort of thought of doing (haven't found any really good candidates so far though) is to have a communal "work from home" office. That is, everyone there telecommutes, at their own respective jobs, but there is a social aspect. Go out for lunch together, chat, whatever.

The idea is to rent some sort of shared office space, so that cuts into the bottom line (as opposed to using a home office) but there is a lot I like about the idea.

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HI Soz!

I wanted to do more exercising too - then I sprained my ankle Sad

. I will get to it and in the meantime - I have found that this working at home thing is fabulous for weight loss (for me at least). LOL the not going out to eat, not getting home late or eating out has made a great change in my eating habits. I only eat when I'm hungry - not during the commute, or lunch break, and at home.

I would like to do other things especially with him and the puppy more but right now I have to keep my nose to the grind stone to get it all set and build sales and all of that. Aint easy.

It is a double edged sword I know - since I can or can't work whenever I want. But, if its slow I can go do something else too.
When he's away or working (like this week) I take on more hours too.
You do have to be pretty determined to keep it all up and going well.

The telecommute shared office would be great for someone not using home office for tax credits! Smile

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Well, you sound like my idea of success, already.

Offhand, I don't think home office expense is worth the hassle and increased chance of audit. Your telecommute office should be fully deductable without having 10% or so of the house being depreciated and recaptured later.

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Thanks roger!

Audit should be a 4 letter word. lol.
Thank goodness I can do what I need to keep that from happening. (I hope at least!)

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Totally agree on the home office tax thing - it's a big red audit flag that just waves the IRS in like a crazed bull looking for blood.

The good thing about working at home is no commuting, I can do laundry when the computer is slowly downloading and I can work in my underwear while coloring my hair. I can leave to have lunch with a friend or make personal appointments at quiet times during the week.

Bad side - it's always there. It's always calling - do more, do more. I often work around the clock by bouncing back and forth from our office to the rest of my life. Really, really bad side - customers know I live where I work and feel free to call just about any day or time. Nothing is worse than to hear the phone ring at 7AM on a Sunday with a happy voice saying on the other end: "I knew I would catch you if I called you now..."

I always say I will find a way to balance it all, but so far work always wins.

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WBUR just had a bit on working for yourself. Here's a link - it's a quickie. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90031383

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Green Witch - thanks.

Yeah, the tax thing you have to be right on top of all the time - I agree.

Cleaning the house in the middle of the day is nice too! No, if I could just do more of it!

No one comes to my house - so, I save a lot with that including Liability Ins and all you are talking about also.

It is always right there. Always available. I can always work and make more. It's always calling me. Funny.

Not good to hear work wins out for you but, glad to hear you try the balance too.

Littlek - that was nice and short and does cover the basics of where you should start and all that. Thanks!

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Took the night off last night - whew! That feels better. Needed some sleep and needed to see the sunshine which is actually out this morning- YEAH!

I have a new Sales line to do next week that is only during the day and only during the week so - maybe I just need some regular hours for a bit - get a life and all that.

My Aerogarden has grown wild and so has my pre-planted seed stuff. I should take care of that today after all my conference calls - bet that would be good too!

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Quinn--

You're the boss--assign yourself downtime.

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Dangit Noddy - you're right!!! Smile

I deserve a raise to dagnabbit. Wink

Maybe a vacation even....LOL

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<grin>

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hi!! waving at little k

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Hi! I am off to bed of course (late - also of course). I hope you can keep popping in to A2K. I've missed you here.

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I will do what I can! Smile

Missed you too here and outside even too!

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Yep, outside too. Hey, have you and fishin ever been to World's End? Seems like you must have given how close it is to you and all.

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